Robert Pitz-Paal

Since June 2011, Robert Pitz -Paal has been leading the Institute for Solar Research as one of two codirectors. His work focuses on technical analysis and optimisation of concentrating solar systems to generate electricity and fuel production.

Pitz -Paal, born 1963 in Kleve, studied physics at the Ludwig- Maximilians- University of Munich from 1983 to 1988. He continued on to study concentrating solar technology the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Ruhr- University, from where he graduated in 1993.

In the same year, he moved to the German Aerospace Center in Cologne, where he held various positions in the Department of energy technology in the following years.

In 2002, Pitz-Paal took over the management of the Department of Solar Research at the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, Stuttgart and was, from 2009 to 2010, deputy director of the Institute.